Progress on a flyover at a notorious bottleneck A9 roundabout has been welcomed.
Business leaders and local politicians have hailed the impact that work on the Longman Roundabout will have for Inverness and the wider region.
Scottish Government cabinet secretary Keith Brown confirmed that design and preparatory work for a flyover is ready to begin “almost right away”.
He was speaking after the signing of the Inverness City Region Deal, which help pay for the £107million project.
The roundabout, which sits at the foot of the Kessock Bridge, is a regular source of frustration for motorists forced to sit in lengthy queues
Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said: “It would be a really significant piece of infrastructure which would have a massive benefit for the city and the whole the region.
“It’s great to see there is clear momentum to get work started on this project as quickly as possible.
“It’s important because it would really open up links between Ross-shire and the Black Isle to people commuting south of Inverness.
“It’ll even benefit people traveling to and from Caithness and Sutherland so this is a really important piece of infrastructure for the entire region.”
Highland MSP and road safety campaigner David Stewart said: “I very much approve of the development.
“It’s the best long-term solution for the roundabout and I warmly welcome progress.”
He said he has had to deal with a high number of complaints over the years, particularly related to the controversial traffic lights.
Mr Stewart added: “At the end of the day a graded junction would help with the problems.
“It would help relieve the pressure on the bridge and the roundabout as Inverness and the surrounding area expand and volume on the road increases.”
After Monday’s announcement, Transport Scotland confirmed work would start later this year with the appointment of a design consultant, though detailed plans are expected to take up to 18 months to finalise.
